People Will Talk | The 2019 coming out edition

By Nancy Ford

“When people
did ask us, especially early on, it was just kind of a weirdness because it was
like guys in their late 20s, early 30s asking teenage girls about their
sexuality. I also think we were still finding the language as a society, but
also Sara and I, to talk about ourselves, to figure out how to identify and
take back words like ‘gay’ and ‘queer.’ That took time. When we really started
to talk about being queer, there was this feeling somewhat in the music
community, in the gay music community and media like, ‘Hey, that doesn’t have
to be the whole story.’”

“There is no going back, because I have to live my real life. It’s
so sad to see people you know abusing you. There is a long list of them (gays) in your midst
and they include pastors or churchgoers. This pretense encouraged me to speak
out.”

—Rwandan gospel singer Albert
Nabonibo, who recently came out as gay. Although Rwanda’s penal code does not explicitly proscribe gay
sex, same-sex marriage is banned. Nabonibo said he
was compelled to come out because he could no longer “live in denial.” Via
Associated Press

“I’ve
been to so many dinners where people are like, ‘So, what are you? L, G, B, T,
Q?’ I’m like, ‘Guys, really? This is what we’re talking about?’ I change every
day.”

“I came
back from the deployment and realized that you only get to live one life, and I
was not interested in not knowing what it was like to be in love any longer.
So, I just came out. I had no idea what kind of professional setback it would
be.”

—Presidential candidate and
South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg, sharing his coming out story at the
third Democratic debate. Via NBCNews.com

“Amy, you have nothing to be ashamed of and every reason to
be proud. Living open and free is a daily act of bravery — bravery that resides
in your heart and in the hearts of LGBTQ people around the world. I’m proud to
have you on our team. #BiVisibilityDay.”

—Presidential
candidate and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, responding to Biden supporter
Amy Koo who said she “still struggles with being out and proud.” Via
Twitter.com

“In my
heart, I’m so sad. I’m in mourning every day of my life, Alexis, and will be
the rest of my life for you until we change the world for you until we change
the world so that trans people are not persecuted. And give them jobs. Let’s
get rid of this bias that we have everywhere.”

—Actor Patricia Arquette,
accepting the Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series
or Movie for her role in Hulu’s The Act. Arquette’s sisterAlexis died in 2016, at the age of 47, from complications related to
HIV/AIDS. She came out as transgender in 2006. Via HuffPost.com

“I
pitched a show to Netflix and they bought it. I don’t know if I can even tell
you, but it’s with Cyndi Lauper, so there! We’ll see. We’re our age, I’m almost
60 and she’s 65, and we’re looking for our next act, without ever having had
husbands [or] children. And there will be two other people who haven’t been
cast yet. But it’s kind of a Golden Girls
for today.”

—Actor Jane Lynch announcing that she will star in a new Netflix show. Via
HuffPost.com

“I’m gay (and) I’m also black. What that meant for me is, I grew up navigating that there would be a different set of rules for interaction every single day. In my house, ‘don’t be too aggressive, don’t run around at night, people will follow you in stores, if you’re gay do not flaunt it, do not offend a straight person.’ All of these rules that sort of go before I get a chance to be awesome. Games were and have always been the only place where I get to share a set of rules, and just be. I’m a competitive player but I actually don’t care if I win or lose. I just love, so much, being in that space where I can step in with people. That’s so awesome to me in a powerful way.”

—President and chief executive officer of Gay Gaming Professionals Gordon Bellamy, discussing how, when he played games, he didn’t have to abide by the rules of the real world. Via NWMissouriNews.com